Social and Communication Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Tony Charman, PhD, Behavioural & Brain Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London Wendy Stone, PhD, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University

From leading clinical researchers, this volume presents important recent advances in understanding and treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in very young children. The book emphasizes empirically based assessment and treatment of core early social-communications problems that ASD-diagnosed infants, toddlers, and preschoolers may have.

Part I: Assessment and Diagnosis. Wetherby, Understanding and Measuring Social Communication in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Lord, Richler, Early Diagnosis of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Part II: Screening and Surveillance. Charman, Baron-Cohen, Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Populations: Progress, Challenges, and Questions for Future Research and Practice. Zwaigenbaum, Stone, Early Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Clinical Practice Settings. Part III: Evidence-based Interventions. Yoder, McDuffie, Treatment of Responding To and Initiating Joint Attention. Rogers, Evidence-based Interventions for Language Development in Young Children with Autism. Wolfberg, Schuler, Promoting Social Reciprocity and Symbolic Representation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Designing Quality Peer Play Interventions. Nadel, Aouka, Imitation: Some Cues for Intervention Approaches in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Howlin, Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems for Children with Autism. Part IV: Developmental and Neurobiological Issues. Walden, Hurley, A Developmental Approach to Understanding Atypical Development. Mundy, Thorp, The Neural Basis of Early Joint Attention Behavior.